The Energon Pub

warzon3 wrote:Well, the more I see them the more interested I am. You can't expect a 3rd party to rip off the g1 look completely and it is not a bad update for the most part. I would completely ignore the combined mode though.

I'm just wanting to know why there is little to no info on these guys especially after first seeing pics over a year ago?

Were the non-g1 colored versions already released in Asia?

It doesn't seem like there has been any official announcements from TFC on them either?

I would not pay Herc prices for a G1 colored version of these though, maybe not even half of Herc's price...only final painted pics might change my mind....

Impossible Toy's offerings are as copied as you can get from the G1 designs and so is Delicate Warrior. So I don't give them as much of a pass as you do for the faces. But, still, it isn't bad. I don't mind updated looks (although I wouldn't mind new faces made by another company).

As far as I know these were never released. They were first shown before Herc was even finished, so maybe they figured they'd get that done and see what happens. As for pricing, well, ... expect Herc pricing.

I agree on the faces, but that seems to be TFC's style?

The Herc members faces weren't spot on and it looks like Uranus member faces might differ a little from G1 as well.

TFC sucks a bit when it comes to faces.

I'm disappointd there isn't a company doing something about that, actually. Herc and the Insecticons all could use new heads.

I think we have all been waiting long enough for a full team of Dinos...and personally i think all of the FOC line is too "neo" or futuristic to fit in with my G1 shelves.

Although I agree they dont necessarily need to be a combiner team (and not cannon at all)...i think this is a cool additional option. My main point is we have gone without them for so long a decent team of them is finally a good option, combiner or no, they can always be left in individual mode and serve as my G1 dino team.

Gauntlet101010 wrote:TFC sucks a bit when it comes to faces.

I'm disappointd there isn't a company doing something about that, actually. Herc and the Insecticons all could use new heads.

every time I look at the TFC Insecticons I can barely make out their heads.



(from the rest of the invisible imaginary products, yes?)

craggy wrote:

Gauntlet101010 wrote:TFC sucks a bit when it comes to faces.

I'm disappointd there isn't a company doing something about that, actually. Herc and the Insecticons all could use new heads.

every time I look at the TFC Insecticons I can barely make out their heads.



(from the rest of the invisible imaginary products, yes?)

Of course I was talking about the FP Insecticons Thought that was implied since there isn't any TFC Insecticons.

It might have been implied, but it wasn't inferred. Not when you were talking about TFC being bad at faces it wasn't, at any rate.

Its not that I think TFC has bad faces, I think they purposely alter things up a bit. FP and TFC like to change it up from g1 style, maybe for fun, or maybe they are afraid of total IP theft?

So with most 3rd parties.... changing up the faces and other elements is kind of expected I would think?

The only company that wouldn't be afraid to make perfect G1 inspired Dinobots would be Igear but that will take 5 years.

craggy wrote:It might have been implied, but it wasn't inferred. Not when you were talking about TFC being bad at faces it wasn't, at any rate.

Meh, it was obvious.

Its not that I think TFC has bad faces, I think they purposely alter things up a bit.

And that's what makes it bad. At least when you're paying about $100 a pop for something. Maybe "undesirable" is a better word if you wanna get picky (eyes craggy) but if you're paying that much for something you really want it to be the best representation it can be. And a big part of that look is the head. TFC tends to stray too far. FP walks a fine line (and stepped over it int he case of the Insecticons).

I think their faces are fine as-is.

RK_Striker_JK_5 wrote:I think their faces are fine as-is.

Even Swoop?

Gauntlet101010 wrote:
And that's what makes it bad. At least when you're paying about $100 a pop for something. Maybe "undesirable" is a better word if you wanna get picky (eyes craggy) but if you're paying that much for something you really want it to be the best representation it can be. And a big part of that look is the head. TFC tends to stray too far. FP walks a fine line (and stepped over it int he case of the Insecticons).

I definitely agree that the faces are important. The FP Insecticons are definitely off, but didn't mind too much in their case because I never had much attachment to the originals and the designs of the bodies themselves (and the weapons) are quite different. Kickback has his antenna and Bombshell, who was the only one of the three I ever seen any kind of character from in the comics, looked close enough.

Dinobots are a little more important to me, at least Grim and Swoop. So long as the other 3 are all just normal sort of faces, I'm not sure I'd notice too much difference. They were all quite generic weren't they? Well, one of them sometimes had a red face...also sometimes one of them was invisible, and not always the same one.

Most of the faces on these are merely okay. The Dinos did have generic faces, but that doesn't mean a total departure is warrented. The only face on these guys that REALLY gets me is Swoop. It's just ... really, really not Swoop at all. I can't even say it's more toyetic. It's probably one of their worst faces because Swoop's pretty high profile.

Still, to be more positive, the colors on them help a great deal to make these worth buying. I don't know what they were thinking when they came up with their old color schemes. A bit too much "NOT" in their not Dinobot set if you ask me. So the change in colors is very welcome.

It's a bit off topic, but, while I can like the Insecticons for what they are, I'd snap up a G1 accessories add on kit in a heartbeat. IMHO, FP went a bit too far with these guys.

ACToys brings us some updated concept art of TFC Toys Dino-combiner figures in Grimlock, Slag, and Sludge deco. We also have concept art or the Star Cats combiner in G1 Defensor colors. Check em out below.

Too bad the drawings look better than the toys....Not-Grimlock and Not-Slag have messed up feet and legs on the actual toy....

I would much rather not have a character in my collection than have a half-arsed, lame representation. These all meet that criteria.

Fresh from Actoys...

I think I just threw up in my mouth....

I'm only interested in this if the price is much better than their previous offerings, since it's supposedly a mass-release or something. I can see them working as the Shattered Glass Dinobots.

This looks terrible

I'd rather be stuck with just FoC Grimlock on my Classics shelf than have this set...

I don't think it looks -horrible- persay... however, it definitely doesn't look attractive enough to warrant my purchase or shelf space.

The only way I might have been able to justify this purchase would have been if I wanted a neo-Energon series set of Dinobots being that they had a Grimlock / Swoop that combined though the gimmick behind that combination wasn't gestalt-type.

Regardless, I never was on board with the idea of the Dinobots combining so it's an easy pass.

These were never going to be combined on my shelf. But those arms .... yikes!

Those colors also turn this from a "I'll consider it" to a total pass. I thought they changed their minds and were goign to make these G1 colored? Maynbe this is an old picture.

I was under the impression that they are doing the initial Star Q run in these colors for the TV show, and then will retool the colors to be more G1 for a second run?

I like the Sludge and Snarl in this set because they look like pretty good g1 homages. Swoop looks good too except for the face is different and it has Frankenstein bolts on the side of its head. If they redo these 3 in g1 colors and you could buy separate I might consider it.

Otherwise I'm really hoping for all 5 FOC Dinobots being released, I really like the concept art for them.... I hope we get an announcement soon,